Crimson Almond
by Casti Deae
Summary: Puppets are merely toys used for their master's wishes - Dead souls, attached to strings, following orders, unable to break the chains holding them back - Can't find their way out… Or even the skills they lack.
1. Chapter 1: A New Beginning

**Crimson Almond**

Puppets are merely toys used for their master's wishes - Dead souls, attached to strings, following orders, unable to break the chains holding them back - Can't find their way out… Or even the skills they lack. Mikan Sakura knows this very well… For she is nothing but a doll also…

**Chapter 1: New Beginning**

_Puppets are merely toys used for their master's wishes._

_Dead souls… attached to strings, following orders._

_**Someone… please…**_

_Unable to break the chains holding them back._

_Can't find their way out,_

_**I'm lost… stuck…**_

_Or even the skills they lack…_

_**Someone… Get me out of here!**_

"Dumb ass girl! You messed up again!" A small brunette was being punished for her actions again. "Do the usual. When you're finished, bring her to my office." The Mistress said coldly. The men dressed in black looked at the girl, night sticks in their hands. "Get ready to pay for your ill actions towards our Miss Tsubaki!" One hooted. "Here we come!" The other one joined in.

She put her arms up in a defensive position and attempted to block their attacks. Her arms didn't do much though, for her small body had slow reflexes. She winced as the men in black continued beating her with their night sticks. "Stop…" The girl whimpered. She grabbed one of their legs lightly. "Stop…" She said a bit louder than the first time. They continued without even pausing to hear her out.

The brunette lie defenseless on the ground. "Stop it!" She screamed. There was a bright light and a loud bang that signaled an explosion, sirens followed soon after. The goons dressed in black were either unconscious or dead-she wasn't sure which. Everything faded to black.

She woke to find herself alone in a room, surrounded by darkness. After sitting up, she scooted over to the door, pressing her ear against it. The young girl could hear her Mistress arguing with someone. She was able to identify him as a man, though he had a girly voice.

"I'm not handing this girl over to you." Her Mistress hissed.

"Hear me out, Tsubaki-san. I'll take her away from here so she doesn't cause you trouble ever again." A cup was set on a table.

"She is a very good worker. I can't just give her away."

"Please… I'm begging you to let me take her to Alice Academy."

'_Alice Academy? Where and what is that?'_ She was drawn to their words. But in the end, she couldn't hear the rest of their conversation due to the furnace.

Suddenly, the door opened and she fell on the floor. She looked up to see the Mistress' angry face. _'Crap. Now I've done it…'_

"Get up and get out. A man is coming to get you at 9 pm. Get whatever stuff you have from under the staircase and leave." She grabbed the girl's arm and the girl winced; bruises and cuts were all over her body. "Stop complaining and go." The Mistress noticed the expression on the brunette's face and threw her back to the floor, causing her to hit her head on the wall. It hurt. The wall was made of stones and her skull bled, after hitting her head on one of the sharp edges.

Her Mistress grabbed her arm again and shoved her towards the stairwell. The girl was holding her head with her hand. She could feel the blood on her finger tips and in her palm. Her brown eyes filled with tears from the pain as she made her way to the stairwell door. She twisted the knob and grabbed a small bag, no bigger than a change purse, then limped towards the main entrance.

When the frail girl got to the door, the Mistress shoved her out. She closed her eyes tight. _'Mom… If I do things without complaining, will you forgive me and come back?'_ She steadied herself using the railing and exited through the gates. Her wait for the mysterious man began.

The girl took the pocket watch from her small bag to check the time. It was very precious to her since it had belonged to her father. _'Only a couple more minutes 'til nine.'_

Looking down at her body, she noticed her arms, legs, and clothes were all covered in blood. Her head still bled. She leaned against the stone hedge and drifted to sleep.

The brunette opened her eyes to a bright room and a man sitting in a chair. "Ah, Mikan-chan! You're awake!" He stood up. Mikan sat up and looked at him. "Welcome to Alice Academy, Mikan Sakura-Chan."

"H-How did I get here?"

"I found you sleeping in front of Tsubaki-san's home. I picked you up and brought you here." She stood up only to fall back onto the couch. "Careful, Mikan-chan. Your head was injured and you were drenched in blood. But it's alright, we fixed it up." He explained.

'_I'm so confused. Okay… I am at Alice Academy… Why? I dunno why… How? Some strange man brought me… Here we go again… Another Master to serve…'_

Probably due to the fact that Mikan was looking at him like he was a creeper, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't introduced himself yet. "Oh, right. My name is Narumi. I'm a teacher here at Alice Academy." Mikan nodded slowly, still confused. He continued, "This school is for special kids with a unique power. Only kids with an 'Alice', or special ability, can attend."

"So… Does that mean I have an 'Alice'… or ability, Narumi-sama?"

"You don't have to add the 'sama', Mikan-chan. And to answer your question, yes. You have a _very_ unique Alice, or should I say Alices."

"I have more than one?"

"Yes. Nullification and SEC."

"SEC?" "Correct. Your Nullification Alice allows you to protect yourself from other Alices and the SEC stands for Steal-Erase-Copy. It allows you to do as the name suggests." She nodded her head in response again. _'Okay…'_

"How did you know I had an Alice? How did you find me, Narumi-sama?"

"Just call me Narumi Sensei. Anyway, we noticed a disturbance caused by an Alice in your area."

"You mean the big explosion and fire?" Mikan questioned.

"Yeah. You probably copied that Alice from your father…" He looked down with a hint of sadness in his eyes, and then looked back up at the confused girl. "Well, school begins in about an hour so why don't you get ready." He handed her a uniform.

"Thank you." Mikan's brown hair fell over her shoulders as she bowed respectfully.

"No problem. You can use my room to get ready since we don't have your room completely done yet. Sorry, Mikan-chan." With that, he left her. _'I guess I should get ready and head to this "2-A" place that is apparently in the High School building.'_

"Everyone is in class now, so wait here until I tell you to come in. Okay, Mikan-chan?" She nodded. _'I'm really not used to talking so much, well, so much as a normal conversation. I've probably had a longer conversation with Narumi than with any of my masters or mistresses.'_ Mikan looked through the cracked door and watched. Narumi clapped his hands together. "Okay, everyone, we have a new student today!" He glanced at the door. "Please come in!"

As Mikan walked in, the room filled with whispers and stares. She sighed. _'I can't take all these eyes…'_ Narumi sweat-dropped when he noticed all of the cuts and bruises on her body. She didn't bother to conceal them.

"Everyone, this is Mikan Sakura. I expect you all to be nice!" He looked around the classroom. "Free period starts now. The next teacher will be here in forty-seven minutes!" Then he walked out the classroom door.

'_Okay… Where am I supposed to sit?' _Mikan's eyes wandered over the entire room, taking in the whole 'school' atmosphere.She walked over to the window in the back and sat on the ledge.

'_Great… I already don't like this place.' _She rested her head on the window and sighed. _'Mom… Dad…'_

_Do you miss her?_

_**Yeah.**_

_Why? She was nothing but mean to you. Plus, she wasn't blood-related._

_**I admire her. She worked all the time and fed my brother and I.**_

_She didn't do much for you. Your 'Dad' is the one who took care of you._

_**She did her best. She had to work to get the money.**_

_She had to support you. She's the one who agreed to take care of you. Anyway… Remember__-__ You ended up in a bad situation when she left._

_**She didn't leave. She was kidnapped.**_

_Kidnapped, whatever. She didn't try to save your brother either. She let that man take him. And in a way, she did leave. She made no effort to get away._

_**Working in other homes wasn't all that bad.**_

_Are you kidding? Look at yourself now._

_**Sigh… **_

_You're too nice. But you know, in your head you think all these… confident thoughts… When it comes to actually talking, you're more timid. Isn't it kind of funny how you have a way of thinking__-__an assertive attitude__-__but when it comes to saying your thoughts, you have no poise._

_**Who are you? Your voice sounds familiar, but I can't remember…**_

_It's too early for me to reveal myself to you._

_**What?**_

A boy with spiky, sand-colored hair approached the new girl, interrupting her inner conversation. "Hello, Sakura-san." She looked at him with her cold, brown eyes and replied with, "Mikan."

"My name is Kokoro Yome. Everyone calls me Koko." She nodded. _'Okay… So why are you here? You're bothering me.' _Despite the discipline Mikan had gone through, she still had such insensitive thoughts-just as the voice had pointed out.

"Eh? Koko? Is this the new girl-Mikan-chan?" A girl asked.

"Yeah. This is my friend Nonoko Ogasawara." Koko said.

"Nice to meet you!" She took my hand. "Let's be friends, 'kay?"

"Hey, don't forget about me…!" Koko complained.

"Hey, hey. What happened to you? You have cuts and bruises all over your body, Mikan-chan!"

Mikan looked around the classroom. Everyone stared at the three as it was completely silent. She tried to smile. "Sorry, Kokoro-sama, Nonoko-sama, I shouldn't reward myself with friends when I've done such things as to disappoint my masters and mistresses." She stood up and made her way out of the classroom. Mikan was drawn to a pair of crimson and light sapphire eyes, in particular, staring at her as she walked passed them.

'_A new student. A girl student… But she's not all over me like the other girls are. She's different and quiet.' _The crimson eyes watched intently as the brunette walked passed him and his friend with the light blue eyes. _'She's so… weird, so formal.'_

"Natsume-sama! The new girl sure is weird, right?" Sumire squealed. _'Jeez, the stupid fan girl… Go away.' _Natsume thought when the obnoxiously loud girl jumped up. He shot her an annoyed look.

"N-Natsume…!" She seemed a bit shocked at his reaction.

"Koko-kun, what was she thinking?" Noko asked.

"Nothing maybe…? I dunno. I couldn't read her mind. It was like there was a barrier."

"Eh?" Anna questioned in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"We should get some information on this new girl." Yu added. "Hotaru."

"Right." Hotaru nodded.

"Who cares about her anyway, Natsume-kun?" Sumire laughed. He continued to ignore her.

"Hey, is she just gonna' ditch next class? That's not a good thing to do on her first day…" Yu stated as the class rep.

"Natsume. What do you think of the new girl?" Mochiage asked. The crimson eyes glanced at his sporty friend and smirked. "The new girl will regret coming here."


	2. Chapter 2: Smile, You're Not Alone

_**Here's a shout out to XxSADDxX and evilsugarnazioverlord for reviewing! Thanks so much to the both of you! :D Also, as I always do, I forgot to do the disclaimer last chapter, so:**_

_**I do not own Gakuen Alice! I do not own Gakuen Alice… D: But I do own this story. **_

_Recap: _

"_Natsume. What do you think of the new girl?" Mochiage asked. The crimson eyes glanced at his sporty friend, and smirked. _

_"The new girl will regret coming here."_

**Chapter 2: Smile, You're Not Alone**

Mikan sighed. _'Where has Narumi Sensei brought me? I really dislike it here…'_ She noticed a teacher walking in the hallway. He had silver-gray hair with a golden bracelet. "Hello, shouldn't you be in class, Miss… Uh…?"

"My name is Mikan."

"Ah, yes. Mikan. I heard you were coming. We have been waiting for your arrival for quite some time now. Welcome. I'm a teacher here and my name is Nodacchi," He was saying, but his figure started to disappear. Mikan acted on impulse and grabbed his arm. His appearance suddenly stabilized.

"Oh my. Good job, Mikan. I will see you during last period." He started to walk away.

"What?"

He looked at her. "Hm?"

"I m-mean… What do you mean, Nodacchi-sama…?"

"Oh. You don't know? You are in my Special Abilities class. Didn't Narumi Sensei tell you? By the way, leave out the '-sama'. Noda Sensei is fine. I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm not your Master, Mikan." Nodacchi walked in the opposite direction, but his figure disappeared.

"There she is!" Mikan turned her head to the source of a girl's voice. "Koko! Over here!" It was Noko.

"Hey, Mikan-chan! Where are you going? Jinno Sensei's class will start soon! You don't wanna be late! He uses physical punishment…!" Noko and Koko ran up to bewildered brunette.

"You would know, right, Koko?" Noko laughed.

"Yeah, yeah… It was once and only because _someone_ kept me up all night!" Koko replied.

"I said I was sorry for it! You're the one who agreed to help in the first place!" The girl shot back, blushing.

"I was being nice! I can't just leave a friend behind! We gotta help each other out, you know?" He nodded with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. "Right, Mikan-chan?" He opened one eye and looked at her. She didn't reply just stared at them. _'Obviously, he likes her. You can totally see it.'_

"Hey, let's go back, Mikan-chan." Noko said.

"Yeah." Koko agreed.

"Excuse me, Nonoko-sama and Kokoro-sama." Mikan bowed and turned around. _'Just how many Masters and Mistresses have I had now, including these two?'_ She started walking down the hall.

"Hey, Mikan-chan! Drop the formalities! We're friends, right? We aren't Gods or Goddesses! Let's go back to class. You don't wanna be late." Noko ran up behind her and grabbed her arm. She winced. "Ah! Sorry, Mikan-chan! I forgot! Forgive me!" The brunette nodded.

"Seriously, Mikan-chan. How'd you get all those cuts and bruises?" Koko asked.

_Do you want friends?_

_**Yes.**_

_Do you want to tell them?_

_**Yes.**_

_Are you going to tell them?_

_**No…**_

_Why?_

_**Mother will be mad. She told me to do everything as the master or mistress said…**_

_And…?_

_**She… will be very disappointed… She will be angry again.**_

_What do you mean 'again'?_

_**You already know.**_

_Say it._

_**I don't wa-**_

_Say it!_

_**Dad…**_

_What about 'Dad'?_

_**It was… my fault…**_

_What was your fault?_

_**He—**_

"Hey, Mikan-chan? Are you ok?" It was Koko. His face was really close to Mikan's, which took her by surprise. She closed her eyes tight and turned her head, throwing her arms up in defense.

"Ow, Mikan-chan…" The girl opened her almond eyes. Koko was sitting on the floor rubbing his head. Mikan knelt down next to him.

"Are you okay, Koko?" Noko asked.

"Yeah, yeah!"

"I-I'm sorry, Kokoro-sama. Please forgive me! I'm sorry!"

"Hey, hey, calm down!" Mikan could tell a lot of kids were standing around the classroom door watching. She stood up and backed away from him. Koko got up and tried to calm her down, walking towards her. He reached his hand out to her's. "It's okay, Mikan-chan." He smiled. "See." She kept backing away.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The terrified Mikan bumped into the corner and put her hands up to cover her head. She closed her eyes with tears in them, crouching in defense. "I'm sorry, Kokoro-sama!" She cried.

"Mikan-chan, what's wrong?" He grabbed her hand. "I'm not angry. I wasn't going to hurt you." She could hear whispers in the background, and opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She moved her hands away and stood up.

"M-Mikan-chan…?" It was Noko.

_What's the matter, Mikan-chan?_

_**I… I can't tell them anything…**_

_Why not?_

_**Mom will be mad.**_

_Screw your foster mother. What's the real reason why?_

_**I'm afraid…**_

_Of what? That they will care?_

_**The pain of losing someone is too much. Especially if it will be my fault… again.**_

_Why do you think it will be your fault?_

_**He's still out there.**_

_Who?_

_**The man that took my mother and brother after killing my father. It was because of me.**_

"Mikan-chan." Koko's voice sounded sincere. Several students gathered in the hallway, whispering. Mikan felt her legs tingling. Her head was telling her to run, but she desperately wanted a friend. In the end, she chose to listen to her head.

Mikan ran down the hallway and made a break for the nearest door that lead outside. She kept running. Her legs carried her passed a Sakura Tree. Those were her favorite, but she couldn't stop running. _'I am terrified of everyone. How can I possibly face them all?'_ She came to a cabin in the woods, and opened the door. There was a boy sitting there with a bear. He turned his head to look at Mikan. "Hello. Why… are you crying?" His voice was soft and kind. She took a step backward.

"Don't go." The boy said. He stood up weakly and slowly stepped towards the girl. Each step echoed in her head. "I'm sorry." Mikan whispered. She didn't blink, for fear of opening them. She couldn't move, even though she wanted to; yet at the same time, she didn't want to. The boy hugged her.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine." He whispered in her ear. His voice was soothing. She collapsed to the floor and he crouched down next to her, stroking her soft, brown hair. "What's your name?"

"M-Mikan Sakura…" She said, barely audible.

"Nice to meet you, Mikan-chan. My name is Kaname Sono. Don't be alarmed. I just want to help if anything is troubling you. Seeing your tears would bring curiosity to anyone's mind."

Natsume stood in the hallway, recollecting his thoughts. _'She ran towards the Northern Woods…'_ He still couldn't believe what he'd just seen. _'No one… I've never seen anyone act like that.'_

"Hey, Natsume-kun! She seemed really scared! Maybe she was a bad child!" He glared at Sumire, who had disturbed him. She seemed even more frightened than earlier. _'Stupid fan-girl… She's so annoying.'_

"Natsume." It was Ruka, a blonde, with light blue eyes. Natsume turned to face him. "This new girl… Sakura Mikan, she isn't your normal, everyday, average girl." Natsume smirked with perfect teeth. He looked at Ruka, shaking his dark hair out of his eyes. _'You got that right, Ruka… She definitely is… interesting.'_

Kaname grabbed Mikan's hand and pulled her up on her feet. "Here. Have a seat, please." He politely pulled the chair out for her to sit.

"Thank you." She was trying to stop crying. Kaname handed her a handkerchief. She stared at him as he sat down across from her. He smiled sweetly. "Is anything the matter?" Mikan blushed.

"K-Kaname-sama… why are you being so nice? You don't even know me."

"Sama? No, no. Kaname is fine. Would you like some tea? Bear." A teddy bear placed a cup of tea on the table. She eyed it as it walked away.

"Ah, that's my bear. My alice is putting souls into stuffed animals. I made Bear when I was little, but since he's the first one I made, he can't talk." She nodded. "What's the matter?"

"N-Nothing…" Mikan avoided eye contact. _'Can I really trust him? Kaname is nice, but I'm afraid. Afraid that if anyone finds out, mom will be mad again. I can't disappoint her ever again.'_

"You were crying just now. I won't tell anybody if you would like to talk. You can trust me. Besides, because I'm weak, I can't get outta' the hospital enough to talk to people. Soon, I will have to go back, and I want to help you while I can." He was still smiling.

_Do you want to tell him?_

_**I think so…**_

_You know so._

_**I do.**_

_Will you tell him? Will you let yourself have at least one friend?_

Mikan opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She opened her mouth a second time, still afraid that her mother would be mad, yet she somehow found the courage to tell him. "I'm afraid…" She whispered with fear in her voice.

"You're afraid…? Of what?" Mikan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _'It's okay. It's just like talking to my conscience, right, Mikan. Alright.'_

"Of my Masters and Mistresses… or my mom and everyone else… I'm… scared."

"Why are you scared of them?" He walked over and knelt beside the chair she was sitting in.

"I obey their wishes, doing what they say, using me as they please… and yet… I'm not good enough… Mom… She's angry with me because I tried to stop them from taking my brother… and Dad got hurt." She had her head down. Tears were pouring from her face again. "I ran after them to protect my brother, and Dad tried to stop me… When Mom realized what was happening, she came after me and Dad, to stop Dad. They got my Mom and Brother… and Dad… He protected me and was… killed... They were my foster parents… but… I don't think he, or anyone else will ever… forgive me. It was my fault… My… fault…" Mikan cried harder now.

"It wasn't your fault. I'm sure he forgives you. He loved you, right? If he didn't, he wouldn't have protected you." Kaname stood up. He hugged Mikan she was hugging him back.

"I'm sorry… Dad… Mom… Youichi and Kizuka… Forgive me, please…"

_That's right, Mikan. Your father did love you. As for your brother and friend, I'm sure they forgive you. Kaname is correct, in a friend's view._

_**A friend…? Really?**_

_Yes. I can feel it. He wants to be a friend for you._

"Thank you, Kaname-kun…" Mikan smiled. _'A Smile? Me? A real one? And the –kun thing too? I'm happy… I have a friend…'_


	3. Chapter 3: Color of the Past Part 1

_Recap:_

_ "Thank you, Kaname-kun…" Mikan smiled. 'A Smile? Me? A real one? And the –kun thing too? I'm happy… I have a friend…'_

**Chapter 3: Color of the Past**

"So, Mikan-chan, you're in tenth grade a first year?" Kaname asked.

"Yeah. You're two years older than me so that puts you as a third year? Ehhh... That means you're a senior. Lucky." Mikan tilted her head back. He laughed. For some reason, she felt he was really trustworthy and it was easy for her to be herself.

"You're cute, Mikan-chan. Anyway, I haven't seen you around before. Usually I'm in the hospital, but I get the sense you're new… Otherwise you wouldn't have run out here in the Northern Woods…"

"Why? Is this dangerous or something? And that's correct. I'm new today and I think I'm skipping class right now…"

He held out his hand. "In that case, allow me to escort you to class." The blonde upperclassmen led Mikan to her classroom. He told her about the dangers of Bear and the Northern Woods on the way back to the academy. "Class 2-A? Here it is, Mikan-chan." He opened the door for her and the two approached the front of the room. The room filled with gasps and whispers from the students.

"Hm?" The teacher turned towards Mikan and Kaname. "Ah. The new girl. I advise you to not be late for my class again. Since it's your first day, I'll overlook it. And you are here why, Mr. Sono?"

"Sorry. She's late because of me." Kaname bowed politely.

"N-No, It's not Kaname-kun's fault." Mikan tried to take responsibility.

"Ms. Sakura. Take your seat beside Mr. Hyuuga in the corner." Mikan wondered how in the world she was supposed to know where that was. The room had four corners and three of the corners were guys. She heard more whispers and gasps, but found her seat because all the girls turned to look at a boy in the corner. He had crimson colored eyes and raven hair.

"Have a nice day, Mikan-chan." Kaname said and smiled at Mikan before he left. Now without her new friend, she started walking towards her seat. Kokoro grinned at her as she walked passed and Nonoko gave her a reassuring look.

The brunette sat in the corner, looking out the window as Jinno continued with the lesson. She could feel eyes looking at her, but tried to ignore them. _'This is certainly a time I would love to be working back at Tsubaki-sama's home. There aren't as many eyes.'_

Mikan felt someone kick her leg and looked up to see the crimson-eyed boy. He held out a piece of paper that had her name on it. She looked at it, then him.

"Take it." He whispered. Mikan nodded in a polite bow sort of way as she took it. She opened the piece of paper and read it.

_ We're all going to Central Town after school. Come with us please, Mikan-chan. Invite anyone you'd like. Meet us here after school gets out and we'll go from there._

_ –Koko_

"Ahem. Ms. Sakura, is that a note?" Mikan's brown eyes looked up at the teacher. _'Am I not allowed to read notes? I've never actually been to school, so…'_

"Bring it here. Detention for you, Ms. Sakura." She got up and gave him the note. _'Detention?'_

"Sorry, Jinno Sensei," Mikan bowed with noticeable fear in her voice. She heard a couple girls snicker.

"Take your seat." As she sat down again, she heard the black-haired boy laugh quietly.

"You're supposed to hide the note, new girl."

"Sorry, Master." She bowed her head at him.

"Natsume Hyuuga." He replied.

"Sorry, Natsume-sama." He looked at Mikan and then went back to focusing on the teacher.

Before they left the classroom Natsume approached Mikan, "Koko said we'll go to Central Town tomorrow instead."

She nodded. _'Why the sudden change in plans? Oh well.'_

Mikan walked out of the classroom with her books and other stuff for her classes. Most people were carrying a bag for their stuff, but since she was new, she didn't have one. _'School is so confusing…'_

She opened the door to Narumi's office and was greeted by him. "Ah, Mikan-chan. Welcome back. Follow me. We have your dorm ready." He walked passed her, taking some of her books form her arms as he went, and she followed.

They walked to an elevator. _'An elevator? How many floors is this place?'_ The two stepped into the elevator and Narumi pressed the number 25.

When they arrived at the top floor, he led her to the room at the very end of the hallway.

"This is the top floor. Only special students live up here. You have star rankings and since you have two very unique Alices, you are special star ranking. It's the top rank." He gave Mikan a pin with a star in the middle along with an 'S'. "If people ask, you have the power of Nullification. I wouldn't say your other. They might be scared of you." He sweat dropped. "Welcome to Alice Academy, Mikan Sakura-chan!" He opened the door to her new room.

"This is mine?" Mikan stood in awe as she took in the scenery.

"Yes. The president of the school insisted on giving you this room."

'_It's… the best and biggest room I've ever gotten. Everything looks so expensive.' _She still couldn't believe it. "T-This is too much. It's so nice."

"It's yours." He smiled.

"Thank you, Narumi-sama."

"Ah ah ah, Mikan-chan. No '-sama'. Sensei is fine." She nodded.

"Sorry, Narumi Sensei." She slightly bowed.

"You're too polite Mikan-chan. These kids will chew you up. Be a little more intimidating, please."

"Huh..?" She tilted her head in confusion when he said this.

He laughed. "Mikan-chan, you're too cute. I hope you're happier here."

"Thank you, Narumi Sensei." Mikan blushed.

"You will get your partner assignment tomorrow. Here," He handed money to her. "This is your allowance every week. There's about 1,500 rabbits there. Take care!" He waved and walked out.

Mikan looked around the room. _'It's so big… It's going to take some time getting used to this. I've never been treated so nicely except…'_ Tears swelled in her eyes. She blinked them back.

_ "Do not cry, Mikan. I love you, that's why." Mikan's father placed his hand on her cheek._

"_Daddy… don't leave. Mommy and brother are gone, too. Don't leave me by myself."_

"_It's alright because you're strong. I know you can get up after being knocked down, so keep on going. Don't let anyone or anything stop you." The tears kept falling from her cheeks, into the corner of her mouth._

"_Mikan, please be strong… for the both of us… for your mother and your brother. Be strong…" His hand dropped from hers. Mikan cried even harder._

"_Okay, daddy… I love you. I'll be strong for all of us."_

The brunette put her hand to her face and felt it was wet. She was crying. Looking at her surroundings, she remembered where she was. _'Oh yeah. I'm standing in the middle of my room.'_

_What's the matter, Mikan?_

_**I miss Dad.**_

_Be strong. For him and your brother. If not for them, at least for yourself._

_**I will be strong for everyone.**_

_You should get to sleep._

_**Okay.**_

She ventured further into her room and noticed a note on her table. It read:

_ Evening, Mikan-chan. I don't think you had time to shop so I went shopping for you. There are clothes in your dresser and closet. I might have over-done it, but it's okay. Now you have a lot to wear! I'll see you for homeroom in the morning._

_P.S. The only days we wear uniforms here are Mondays and school assembly days, so wear one of your new outfits tomorrow! Don't forget to stop by and show me!_

_'Narumi is so nice. He has such a good heart.'_ Mikan smiled to herself and opened the closet. She stared with disbelief and grabbed one of the many pairs of pajamas hanging there. It was a very nice, purple, silk night gown. The brunette changed into it to see how it would look. It only covered down to the top of her thighs. She went to look through the others. They were all pretty similar, most of them were like the one she wore only different colors. '_He went way over-board. Pervert… Though, I guess I'm very grateful because they're probably the nicest thing I've ever owned.'_

Mikan yawned and sat on her bed. '_It's huge too. Everything is so nice. Who is this principal guy?'_

_Goodnight, Mikan._

_**Goodnight.**_

_Sleep tight. See ya' tomorrow._

_**Mm-hmm.**_

Mikan woke to the sun shining in her eyes. She checked the clock. _'5:30. Two hours until school begins…' _She sat up and looked around. _'Jeez… This room is way too much. I've never been treated like this. There's so much I should be thankful for.'_

The brunette sighed and decided that she should get out of bed and take a shower. She went about her morning in a familiar way. She was used to getting up very early, and choosing a style wasn't difficult for her, but she usually chose for someone else never herself.

The brunette opened her closet and peered inside. _'There's a lot to look through. Narumi Sensei really wasn't lying when he said he got carried away…' _She started with the far back right end. _Seriously, why does someone like me need a closet the size of another room? Gosh. Who's the principal? He seems like a nice guy.'_ Mikan searched for an outfit. She spotted a gray v-neck sweater and chose a pair of blue jeans and colorful sneakers. When it came down to it, Mikan was good with fashion. She knew how to wear clothes, even just the plain, normal ones like what she was wearing right now.

She brushed out her long, brown hair and used the hair-dryer to dry it. Then she styled it so that it complimented her outfit and straightened her bangs across her face to the right, but still covering her whole forehead, just getting longer as the bangs framed her cheeks. After completing her image, she checked the clock again. _'20 minutes to go, better get going.'_

Mikan walked into homeroom and everyone stared at her with mouths dropped open. She became slightly annoyed, again because of their reactions. The brunette just avoided them and walked to the window in the back so that she could sit in the windowsill and admire the Sakura tree outside.

She found it hard to ignore the people when her name was all she could hear among their whispers. Their eyes felt like daggers to her. Not long after, Mikan could hear a couple squeals form girls. She didn't even turn to see why. _'Who cares?'_

"Natsume-kun!" Sumire squealed. Two boys walked into the classroom together one with crimson eyes and the other with sapphire eyes.

Natsume noticed the new girl sitting in the window, so he ignored Sumire and walked over to her. _'Damn. She looks hot. Where did she get those clothes? Did she pick them…? With the way she acts, you think she'd be wearing her uniform, but she turns something really plain into something not.'_

"Yo, new girl. What are you doing? Get to your seat before the teacher gets here." Mikan bowed her head.

"Sorry, Natsume-sama." She walked to her seat.

"Hey, Natsume, what's up with that new girl? She didn't even try to converse with you! How dare she?" It was Sumire again, but Natsume was caught up in his thinking, _'This girl is weird. Most of them usually only dream of talking to me. Me coming up to someone, especially a girl, is unusual. This new girl is weird!'_

"Hey, new girl! Get over here now!" Sumire ordered. Mikan stood up and quickly made her way over to the curly haired witch.

"Hey, Sumire, what are you doing? Leave the new girl alone." She heard a voice say in the background.

"Yes, Sumire-sama?" Mikan's brown eyes looked at Sumire, who was smiling in an evil fashion.

"Find me before lunch. I'll be waiting here for you." She sat in her spot.

'_Will this be another to serve…_?' Mikan went back to her seat.

_**Sigh…**_

_Don't worry about her, Mikan. She definitely won't treat you like a slave. She won't be able to._

_**How do you know? Of course I'm not worried… I'm used to this by now.**_

_That's no good. Even though you say that, I think you lie. You can't get used to this because you know what it's like to be free and happy, right?_

_**Just shut up… I'm in no mood to argue.**_

_Yes, yes, my dear Mikan. I will see you later._

_**You've said that twice. How can you see me? Who are you?**_

_Uh… Isn't it just like saying, "Bye, talk to you another time."?_

_**I guess that's true… Then bye.**_

_See ya'._

"Alright. Take your seats. Class starts now." It was Jinno Sensei. "Ms. Sakura." He walked back to her desk and pointed his wand at her. "You skipped detention yesterday." The brunette heard whispers from the other students.

"Detention? I thought it was just another word for 'delinquent' here, seeing as this is no government." Mikan frowned at the fact she just back talked to someone.

"Ah, quite the joker, aren't we? Ms. Sakura, tell me what detention is."

"Detention is a state of confinement directed by the government…" She didn't keep eye contact with him.

"Ms. Sakura, I don't know how you got here, but this school doesn't accept kids who misbehave. We don't need students like you." She stared up at him on the verge of tears.

'_Students like me? What did I do? I really don't know what a school detention is! I've never been to school before now. Plus, I'm not a criminal.'_

"I see. Your Alice certainly is interesting." Jinno said looking at her student profile. "You have no partner yet, so your partner will be Natsume." He turned and walked back to his desk. Whispers filled the room and eyes _glared_ at her. Natsume coughed in amusement. _'What a jerk…' _Mikan thought.

"You will have ability classes before lunch today instead of last period. You're dismissed." Mikan opened her schedule to see which ability class she was in special ability.

She walked down the hall for what seemed like forever. "I'll never find it…" The brunette whined out loud.

"Find what?" She turned to a male's voice from behind her. There was a boy with a star under his left eye. He was wearing a pair of green jeans and a white t-shirt with a faded orange and blue line through the middle. There was an orange, long sleeve shirt underneath. The converse he wore completed his outfit.

"Uh… um…" Mikan didn't say anything, so he took the paper from her hands.

"Oh. You're the new girl? My name is Tsubasa Ando. I'm a senior. I'm also a Special Ability type." The senior smiled at Mikan. She bowed her head as he did this until he said, "Nice outfit." which made her blush.

"Well, let's go, then." He said. The two walked down the hall and soon came to a room. The door opened and a girl with dull, pink hair was there.

"Oh! Hey, Tsubasa! You're here! I was just about to come find you! Who's this?" She looked at Mikan.

"I found the new girl. A thousand points for me!" Tsubasa answered.

"No fair! You can't just go out on your own and look for her!" She pulled him in. "Come on!" The girl looked at Mikan. "My name is Misaki Harada. Call me Misaki Senpai! Yesterday was your first day and you skipped. We even got a party ready!" Mikan nodded, not taking her eyes off of Misaki.

"Hey, guys! The new girl is here!" People crowded around the three of them.

"Tell us your name!" Misaki exclaimed.

"I'm Mikan Sakura…"

"It's great to meet you, Mikan-chan!" Misaki grinned. "Make yourself at home here!"

"Yeah, people call us freaks, but for that, we pretty much get to do what we want in this class. Noda Sensei is awesome!" It was Tsubasa.

"If there's anything you ever wanna talk about or anything, we're here! We're a family!" Misaki added, having one arm around another girl from their class. Everyone was smiling and laughing, whereas Mikan was just trying to take the new atmosphere in.

"_You can count on me, Mikan! I'll always be there for you!"_

Mikan's lips curled into a smile, but went away just as quickly when other memories came into her head.

_ "Go, Mikan! I'm doing this so you can get away! Run, now!"_

"Mikan-chan, are you hungry? We have cake! We sort of went a little over-board with this whole 'new student' thing…" Misaki said.

"No thank you, Misaki-sama." Mikan plainly turned her down. Misaki glanced at Tsubasa.

"Hey, Kohai! Have some cake!" Tsubasa called.

"I'm not hungry, Tsubasa-sama."

"Misaki Senpai is fine, Mikan-chan." Misaki stated.

"Yeah. Tsubasa Senpai is okay, too."

"O-Okay… Tsubasa Senpai, Misaki Senpai…" Tsubasa and Misaki looked at each other, then at the brunette. "So, what's your alice?" Tsubasa wondered.

"Nullification an-… Nullification…"

"Hm…? That's pretty cool. What rank?"

"Special Star."

"Eh…? Really?" It was Misaki this time. "Hey, guys! Mikan-chan is a Special Star!"

"What?" A couple of them gasped.

"I know, right? I don't think there's been a Special Star in this class for a while. I think she had the same alice, too!"

Mikan wasn't really interested in what they were saying so she sat on the windowsill and looked outside. _'Liar… You said you'd always be there for me… Where are you now? You're a liar, Kizuka…'_

_ "Mikan, we're friends, right? Count on me! I'll always be by your side to make things better for you!"_

"_Ki-Kizuka-kun… I-I made this for you…!" A small Mikan held out a red card with a pink heart on it._

"_Hm…?" He took it. "Mikan, you made this for me?"_

"_Y-Yes…! I know it's girly, but you're my first f-friend, so… I-I thought it was a g-good idea...!" Kizuka smiled. "Thanks, Mikan!" He hugged her tightly. She blushed. _

"_Y-You're welcome!" There was a huge smile on the little girl's face._

"_You can count on me, Mikan! I'll always be there for you!" She smiled. _

"_You're my best friend!" The brunette hugged him. The two smiled at each other's company._

_'But that didn't last long… Such happy moments will never come back.' _Mikan continued to remember as she sat, still staring out the window.

_ "Get back, Mikan!" Kizuka shouted. She stood behind him, afraid. There was blood everywhere__on her new dress, on Kizuka, on the card she'd made for him… everywhere. Kizuka was holding his left eye. It was the source of the blood. Mikan continued to cry._

"_What do you want?" Kizuka yelled. He wasn't crying, but his voice sounded shaky._

"_Come with me, boy, and you might be able to save your little friend there." The guy taunted. He had reddish, brown hair, a green shirt, and tight black pants. He walked closer and closer then smirked._

"_Ah… you look just like your mother, little Sakura-chan."_

"_Huh? Mom? My real mom? Where is she?" The small girl became even more curious._

"_You'll see her soon enough, but for now, I'm taking this little fella'." He grabbed Kizuka's arm. He made no effort to fight back. _

"_Kizuka!" Mikan screamed._

"_Go, Mikan! I'm doing this so you can get away! Run, now!"_

"_Kizuka…" She was quiet this time._

"_Go." He looked at her with his right eye, still covering his other. She took a step back._

"_I'll tell you one thing, Little Sakura-chan, you're real father… He's dead."_

She shook her head, recalling how afraid she was then and how much she wanted to know more about her real parents. _'Kizuka was taken by the guy who also later kidnapped my brother and mother. Even though she was my foster mother, I liked her. My foster parents gave my brother and I a place to stay. My foster mother wasn't the nicest, but my foster father was still kind, so it wasn't completely horrible.'_

_Why don't you go have some fun, Mikan?_

_**I don't wanna.**_

_Why not?_

_**For one, I don't really know anybody.**_

_And you never will if you don't try._

_**For two, it doesn't really look all that interesting. They all look like they're busy talking to each other.**_

_So. Join them._

_**I don't want to.**_

_How many friends have you ever had?_

_**Why?**_

_Just tell me their names._

_**I met a boy named Kaname. We're friends, I guess. He seems to want to be friends anyway… But you already know that.**_

_Who else?_

_**Why does this even matter to you?**_

_Who else? Can't you trust me? We talk every day. We're friends, right? So who else?_

_**His name was Kizuka. He was my first friend, but was kidnapped by the same guy that took my mother and brother.**_

_Good._

_**Tell me in what way that is good!**_

_I didn't mean it like that. I meant 'good' as in 'thanks for telling me'._

_**Oh.**_

"Hey, Mikan-chan, class is over. Why didn't you come hang with us?" It was Misaki. Mikan shrugged. "I guess I don't feel very well today. Bye." She bowed and walked off towards homeroom to meet Sumire.


	4. Chapter 4: Color of the Past Part 2

_**I do not own Gakuen Alice, but I do own this plot. Also, much thanks to my editor, EvilSugarNaziOverlord! You should check her profile and pressure her some to upload her fanfictions! Also, sorry for updating late._** I will update on Friday as usual.**_**_

_Recap:_

"_Hey, Mikan-chan, class is over. Why didn't you come hang with us?" It was Misaki. Mikan shrugged. "I guess I don't feel very well today. Bye." She bowed and walked off towards homeroom to meet Sumire._

**Chapter 4: Color of the Past (Part 2)**

"Ah, Mikan-chan. You're here! Let's go." Sumire chimed. The brunette nodded and followed her down the hall. "We sit here." She sat down with her tray in hand, as Mikan did the same via orders of Sumire. "So, your name is Mikan Sakura… Ah, what a cute name. As you know, my name is Sumire Shoda. And this is Wakako Usami." She introduced her and her friend.

"Um… Sumire-sama, Wakako-sama… why am I sitting with you?" She sat across from the two of them. Sumire smiled and glanced at Wakako.

"We want you to be our friend, of course. Silly." Mikan nodded.

'_Is this really how school goes? I thought it would be a lot harder to make friends.'_

"So, Mikan-chan, tell us about yourself."

"Um… What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Tell us everything. We're friends after all. What's your favorite color?"

"Amethyst."

"Me next!" Wakako volunteered. "Who do you like? I know you're new, but there's gotta be someone who you think is cute or something, or someone who you know." Mikan shifted in her seat.

'_This is weird. I feel as if this is more of an interrogation than those two actually making an effort to befriend me.' _Mikan sweat-dropped. "I don't know yet."

"Aren't you gonna eat, Mikan-chan?" It was Sumire. The brunette shook her head.

"I'm not hungry." Mikan didn't want t ruin the beautifully arranged plate. It looked like it was fit for a king, which made her nervous to even hold it.

"Hey, Waka-chan, I wanted to go to Central Town during break, but I can't… I have to finish a project. Can you go for me?"

"Ah… I needed to go as well, but I have things to do too…" Sumire looked at me.

"Mikan-chan, can you go for us? Please…!"

"Sure, Sumire-sama." Mikan nodded. _'It's not like I can disobey orders.'_ The two girls smiled.

"Thanks, Mikan-chan!" She handed her a piece of paper. "Get the things on this list. If you go out the door by homeroom, go past the Sakura tree to the bus station. When you get to Central Town, buy the stuff. The stores where you can get the things are next to the item. Here, Mikan-chan." She handed Mikan a credit card. "Use this to buy them." The brunette nodded. "Bye!" She waved. Mikan walked towards the cafeteria door.

"Yo, new girl, where 'ya headed?" Natsume questioned, passing the brunette in the hallway on his way to the cafeteria.

"Sumire-sama and Wakako-sama needed things from Central Town, so I'm going shopping."

"You can't just leave during the school day without permission, you know. Do you even know how to get there…?"

"But, Sumire-sama and Wakako-sama will be angry if I don't go." She argued.

"-Sama? Why do you act like everyone is your Master?" Mikan turned away from Natsume, but he still looked at her with burning crimson eyes.

"Natsume-sama, I need to leave. Excuse me." She began to walk away, but he grabbed her arm. She winced, so he let go.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." The brunette nodded. The atmosphere was awkward for some reason.

"How did you get all of those cuts and bruises?" Mikan faced Natsume, but said nothing.

_Mikan…_

_**Yeah.**_

_Don't tell this guy._

_**Why?**_

_I don't think I like him all that much. He seems interested in you. If you get to close to him, you'll only end up being hurt again._

_**Usually you want me to make more friends.**_

_Not this one._

_**Why?**_

_I don't like him._

_**Why?**_

_Because I just don't._

Mikan realized that she hadn't said anything for almost a minute now and that she was just staring at him. _'Oh great, he probably thinks I like him now…'_

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, Natsume-sama, my apologies." She bowed her head.

"Why do you use words like '-sama'?" Her almond eyes met his crimson ones again.

"Should I not, Natsume-sama?" He turned his head with a surprised expression and a blush, but it wasn't noticeable to Mikan.

"A-Anyway… Why are you hanging out with Sumire and her little pet? You'll get into trouble doing what others say all the time."

"Sorry." She bowed her head again.

"Let's go back to the lunch room. You can sit with Ruka and I… because you don't really know anyone…" He didn't make any eye contact.

"Oh, Natsume. Hey, you brought the new girl!" A blonde boy exclaimed. _'He's holding a rabbit, why?' _Mikan took in her surroundings. They both sat down.

"Sit." Natsume commanded. Mikan immediately sat down and looked back at Sumire. She looked angry.

"You're Mikan Sakura, right?" The blond boy asked. She nodded. "My name is Ruka Nogi."

"Call me Mochiage." A boy with shaved, brown hair stated.

"Where are you from?" Ruka asked.

"Karuizawa." The brunette answered. People were staring at Mikan and a certain figure behind her.

"Ah, Mikan-chan. I found you again." It was Kaname. He was smiling. Mikan stood up with a blush.

"Kaname Senpai…!"

"Mikan-chan, I see you've made some friends." The excited girl shook her head.

"Yeah, friends. I'd love to be your friend, Mikan-chan." It was Ruka. Mikan looked at him.

"Tsubasa is looking for you, Mikan-chan."

"Found ya'." It was Tsubasa.

"T-Tsubasa-sama… you need something…?"

"Mikan-chan, that's no good." Tsubasa touched her nose. The brunette blushed once again.

"S-Sorry, Tsubasa Senpai." She bowed her head. He pulled her chin up until their eyes met.

"Stop that, Mikan-chan, don't apologize so much." Her face turned even redder.

"Ah, Tsubasa, you're doing it again…" Kaname stated.

"Eh, really? Heh heh… Sorry, Mikan-chan." Tsubasa rubbed the back of his head. "Well, shall we go, then?"

"Go… where?" Mikan asked.

"Don't you remember? You agreed to have lunch with us."

"W-What? When?"

"You were deep in thought and we said if you didn't speak up, you had to have lunch with us."

"That's not fair, Tsubasa…" Kaname said. He shrugged.

"It was Misaki's idea. If you don't wanna come, you don't have to. Just eat lunch with us Monday." Tsubasa looked at Natsume and Ruka. Mikan shook her head.

"It's oka-"

"Hey, you seniors can't come and just take her away from us." It was a girl's voice.

"Okay, okay. We get it. You guys are jealous Mikan-chan likes us so much. Bye, Mikan!" Tsubasa waved.

"Ah, Hotaru… Where's Koko?" It was Ruka.

"He's coming." Noko answered. They all sat down, still at Nastume's table.

"Let's go to Central Town today after school, 'kay, Mikan-chan." Koko came up and it wasn't really a question. Mikan nodded slowly.

"Mikan, I never thought you'd end up here." It was Hotaru. Mikan's eyes widened in realization. "Hotaru-sama—"

"If you want to fit in, don't use those words here." Hotaru interrupted the brunette.

"Sorry… H-Hotaru…"

"See. Was that so hard?" Mikan tried to smile.

'_This is really weird… I've always used those words.'_

"Now, what are their names?" She pointed to the others.

"Mochiage… Uh… Yu… Nonoko… K-Kokoro… Ruka... and N-Natsume." Mikan could barely speak the names without honorifics.

"That wasn't hard at all, right. By the way, this is Anna."

"Nice to meet you, Anna-sama..." She covered her mouth. "S-Sorry."

"It's okay." Anna laughed.

Mikan felt awkward sitting with everyone, but it was definitely comforting knowing that Hotaru would be there. She was at ease for a while because the stares gradually disappeared, but then… Though no one was staring, she could feel someone's glare. _'Probably Sumire.'_ Mikan felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around.

"Mikan, let's go. You're sitting with us, remember?" There was a hint of anger showing in her voice. She stood up immediately.

"Sorry, Sumire-sama!" Mikan bowed her head apologetically. Sumire grabbed the brunette's wrist, tightly, and started to drag her towards the cafeteria door. She winced and closed her eyes. When they were a quarter of the way there, a boy with short, blondish-brown hair, and an eye patch covering his left eye came up to the two. His hair reminded the permy witch of Koko's hair color, but it was less wild and more on the messy side. He had amethyst purple eyes.

"Is there a problem?" He had a beautiful voice. He turned his head to the side as he said this, and then looked at Mikan. Sumire shook her head.

"N-No."

"Then do you mind releasing Mikan? I believe you're hurting her wrist." She let go.

"Ah, sorry, Mikan-chan, I didn't realize I was hurting you. You should've said something." The boy smiled.

"Thank you, Miss. You are very beautiful. I hope to see you around." Sumire couldn't help but stare. _'H-He's beautiful! Just as gorgeous as Natsume!'_

The boy that stopped Sumire grabbed Mikan's hand, and then put his arm around her after pulling her closer. Anyone could tell she was blushing hard because Natsume and company saw it from across the cafeteria.

"Ah… I see." Hotaru noted.

"What?" Koko asked.

"I know who he is. He was in a lot of Mikan's stories when she worked at my home. When she cleaned my room, we'd talk together and she told stories about a boy. She had a smile on her face every time she said something about him. Mikan really seemed to like that boy. What a weird twist of fate that he'd show up now."

"What's his name?" It was Anna this time. She was a sucker for a romance.

"His name is "

The two stood out at the Sakura tree Mikan had seen the other day. He was facing the opposite way, admiring the tree.

"K-Kizuka…?"

"Mikan-chan, it's been so long!" He turned around with a huge grin on his face.


End file.
